Immortal Thai songs from 50's - 70's

**Bangyai** · 22-03-2012, 01:16 PM

Or in Thai ' pleng amatha ' ( เพลงอมตะ )

Can't cover everything so will stick to the most popular types.

1) Luk Tung
2) Mor Lam
3) Luk Groong

I don't mind some Luk Tung but since I am not a big fan it is easier to divert the interested to here :

TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum Thai Music Luktung

where the genre has been well covered with many examples. Apart from identifying the music by its sound, if you see a male singer with the following hairstyle he will almost certainly be a Luk Tung singer.

2) Mor Lam

Very popular in the northeast and familier to anyone with an Isarn wife.

From Wiki

Mor lam ( หมอลำ ) is a traditional Lao form of song in Laaos and Issan. Mor lam means expert song, or expert singer, referring to the music or artist respectively.
The characteristic feature of lam singing is the use of a flexible melody which is tailored to the tones of the words in the text. Traditionally, the tune was developed by the singer as an interpretation of glawn poems and accompanied primarily by the khene, a free reed mouth organ, but the modern form is most often composeed and uses electrified instrumentts. Contemporary forms of the music are also characterised by quick tempi and rapid delivery, while tempi tend to be slower in traditional forms and in some Lao genres. Some consistent characteristics include strong rhythmic accompaniment, vocal leaps, and a conversational style of singing that can be compared to American rap.
Typically featuring a theme of unrequited love, mor lam also reflects the difficulties of life in rural Isan and Laos, leavened with wry humour. In its heartland, performances are an essential part of festivals and ceremonies, while the music has gained a profile outside its native regions thanks to the spread of migrant workers, for whom it remains an important cultural link with home.

One of my favourites by a very talented female, Yenjit Porntawi. After the 2 minute mark she gets very bluesy. The way she just stretches down to the bass notes is very sexy.

Fine Instrumental .

More of that later.

Lastly, to my personal favourite, Luk Groong.

Luk Krung music is typically ballads influenced by Jazz styles like Swing and Big Band as well as Latin dance music infused with Thai melodic and rhythmic sensibilities. Generally more polished and urban than its more traditional sounding cousin Luk Thung (Thai Country Music).
Luk Krung had its origin in the 1930s "pleng Thai sakorn" style initiated by violinist เอื้อ สุนทรสนาน (Uea Sunthonsanan) who founded the Suntaraphon big band in 1939 and was the first to popularize Luk Krung. The three crooners Charin Nuntanakorn, Suthep Wongkumhaeng and Narit Ari were known as "three generals of Luk Krung" and would dominate the scene in Bangkok during the 1950s-60s

I've recently spent a lot of time listening to this stuff. Ms Bangyai thinks its mighty eccentric but has come around to it and started to like it too.
It reminds me of some of the places I was taken when I first came to Thailand and knew a few bods in the military who were keen on ballroom dancing.

This first song from a Luk Groong artist , Wongjan Pairote is very beautiful and really hit me the first time I heard it. Great melody and perfect vocals. Love that accordian too.

More typical from the men is this from the well known Mom Ratchawongse

also on a seaside theme

The word kram kruwan ( ครำครวญ ) pops up repeatedly in the lyrics of these songs and sometimes back to front as well , ie kruwan kram. The meaning is : to lament , to cry, to bemoan

The following tune by Riam Daranoi is something of a Mor Lam oddity but very interesting anyway. If you like your 'r' rolled, look no further.

For those interested in listening to more pleng amatha here is a useful link

?

or check out Chakritys channel on YouTube

chakrity - YouTube

Dan · 22-03-2012, 01:41 PM

I like a lot of the Mor Lam I hear but haven't really explored it that much, though I have some of Chawiwan Damnern's songs.

Quite different, but I came across this one the other day and thought it was great.

And another disco-tastic tune from the same album

**Bangyai** · 22-03-2012, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Dan

I like a lot of the Mor Lam I hear but haven't really explored it that much, though I have some of Chawiwan Damnern's songs.

Quite different, but I came across this one the other day and thought it was great.

And another disco-tastic tune from the same album

Funnily enough, I've listened to all of those recently. There are some interesting beatles covers out there from the same era

**Bangyai** · 22-03-2012, 02:23 PM

And one for Pattaya tourists as they take the minibus to the airport.

Oh....the pathos !

**chitown** · 22-03-2012, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Bangyai

.

Bangya,

From the bottom of my heart, thanks for posting this. I used to have this on CD and I lost it somewhere. I did not know the singers name and also did not know the name of the song. I have been waiting for 5 years to find all that out so I can go out and buy it again!!

Green sent and a few more on credit for the future!!

**Bangyai** · 22-03-2012, 03:14 PM

^ The CD from which that track was taken used to be popular with Khao Sahn CD vendors. Nice to see it in its entirity on Youtube.

Here's Yenjit again for you ....... in the flesh , which is nice but its still nice even with eyes closed.

**Bettyboo** · 22-03-2012, 04:03 PM

Is this some kind of super ironic thread???

Worst music imagineable, imho...

**Thaidan** · 22-03-2012, 04:08 PM

I like the music. Thanx for posting it

**Rural Surin** · 22-03-2012, 06:07 PM

Thanks for the contemporary romanticism of those eras, Bangyai.

One could even touch upon the musically related ouevres of a decade or two earlier - 1930s through the 1950s.

Outstanding.

**Bangyai** · 22-03-2012, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Is this some kind of super ironic thread???

Worst music imagineable, imho...

I once thought so. ...........It takes time Betty ............... lots of time.

**Bangyai** · 23-03-2012, 12:16 AM

One for bed time. Cooooooooooooool

**OhOh** · 23-03-2012, 12:54 AM

A brilliant idea, thank you for your efforts any I find I will link as well.

**OhOh** · 23-03-2012, 01:09 AM

I found this ages ago not sure if it fits into the genre but Ces't la vie

**OhOh** · 23-03-2012, 03:57 AM

**Bangyai** · 24-03-2012, 12:22 AM

Another for bedtime : Wongjan Pairot

**larvidchr** · 24-03-2012, 02:04 AM

Great thread Bangyai, out of ammo will catch you later.

**OhOh** · 24-03-2012, 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by Bangyai

Another for bedtime : Wongjan Pairot

The clarity of the recording and her enunciation are phenomenal.

Another by the same singer I beleive.

**Bangyai** · 24-03-2012, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by OhOh

Originally Posted by Bangyai

Another for bedtime : Wongjan Pairot

The clarity of the recording and her enunciation are phenomenal.

Another by the same singer I beleive.

My favourite by her. Actually already posted but its such a good song its worth posting twice !!

Another jazzy one for today. Nice voice for a bloke.

**Bangyai** · 25-03-2012, 07:01 PM

Most excellent khaen playing

**Bettyboo** · 25-03-2012, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Bangyai

I once thought so. ...........It takes time Betty ............... lots of time.

I love music, was thinking about starting a record label here for proper music not shite copies of shite Korean copies of Amarican shite (just talking about the heavily marketed shite, not all US music...).

**Rural Surin** · 25-03-2012, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by OhOh

I found this ages ago not sure if it fits into the genre but Ces't la vie

This one has a very Khmer [albeit contemporary] presence about it.

**Bettyboo** · 25-03-2012, 10:12 PM

^ red sent...

**Gerbil** · 25-03-2012, 10:29 PM

**Bangyai** · 09-05-2012, 02:11 PM

Another couple of mellow ones from Wongjan Pairote. Lovely voice

**OhOh** · 09-05-2012, 05:31 PM

Great songs, singer, band and performances, thanks.

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